The present invention relates to an apparatus for supporting a headstone in conditions where the headstone is prone to motion over time, and a method of fabricating same.
Headstones or markers are placed at a grave as a memorial to the person buried there. In old cemeteries these headstones were placed by direct burial without consideration for the effects of time and the elements. Often, the support of an upright headstone is subject to ground movement caused by filled material, coffin or vault displacement, soil erosion, rain, irrigation, frost heaving, snow, wind, impacts, and the like. As cemeteries and the graves age, over time these factors contribute to headstone settlement, leading to repairs, and a need for realignment to the headstones to maintain an aesthetic appearance.
In many instances when it is desired to support a marker above a filled excavation, the headstone is not placed until a period of time has elapsed in order to allow settling of the recently excavated soil. This is necessitated because, after the excavation is filled, the contour of the ground changes as the fill dirt settles. Markers placed before the fill dirt settles may sink and shift if placed preliminarily.
One problem that can occur is when a coffin is placed in the ground without a burial vault. Typically, a burial vault is a concrete or brick structure that will not decay for a long period of time, which can be several decades or more. However, coffins are generally made of wood which can deteriorate significantly faster than a burial vault. Thus, when only a coffin is placed in the ground, the coffin deteriorates, causing the ground above the coffin to settle. This can lead to soil erosion and can cause a headstone or marker to shift over the long term.
Other factors can lead to shifting of a headstone over time. For instance, typically a graveyard may include grass that needs regular cutting and maintenance. Often, for convenience and efficiency purposes, a riding lawnmower or large powered push mower may be used to cut grass, leading inevitably to occasional contact with the headstone which can cause the headstone to move. Trimming around headstones may be done with a power-driven weed-wacker which can, as well, cause movement due to occasional contact from the weed-wacker or the operator of the weed-wacker.
Thus, there are many factors that can lead to shifting of a headstone or grave marker over time. As such, one known method for anchoring a headstone in the ground to avoid these problems includes placing heavy concrete below the surface proximate the coffin and mechanically coupling the headstone to the concrete. According to this method, concrete “caissons” are placed to either side of the coffin and a span or “plinth” is positioned across the tops of the caissons and below the surface, with the headstone attached to the plinth. The headstone is placed within a cavity of the plinth and attached thereto using aggregate material. Typically, the caissons are attached to the plinth using known devices such as rods that are set into the caissons and the plinth.
In such fashion, the headstone may be attached to the plinth, which in turn is coupled to the caissons. This can alleviate some of the known problems that occur to headstones due to contact from lawnmowers, weed-wackers, and the like, by providing a very heavy structure for the headstone. In addition, because the support caissons are positioned to either side of the coffin, and the headstone is placed within a plinth that is coupled to the caissons, settling of the headstone due to deterioration of the coffin may be avoided, as well, because the plinth spans across the top of the coffin.
Although some of the known problems that occur with headstones can be avoided using a concrete anchored structure, such a design is nevertheless prone to motion over time for other reasons. For instance, vibrations caused by seismic activity from heavy machinery, such as from a tractor or from a semi with trailer, can cause motion of the headstone over time. One known method of alleviating motion caused from seismic activity is to place dampening shims between the caissons and the plinth, reducing the amount of vibration of the headstone, thereby delaying or avoiding motion thereof over extended periods of time. However, such shims are themselves prone to decay over time and may only delay the seismic-induced motion from occurring. In addition, the caissons and plinths are also exposed to freeze/thaw cycles, and to moisture and dry conditions over extended periods of time which, likewise, can cause degradation of the structure eventually to the point where movement of the headstone can occur. A moisture seal may be employed to slow the decaying process, but such tends to be costly to purchase and apply during the fabrication process.
Headstones supported by caissons and a plinth can also be very expensive to fabricate for a number of other reasons. First, a significant amount of heavy material such as concrete is included in such a structure, which is expensive in and of itself. Additionally, in order to transport this heavy material, and its significant volume, adds transportation cost to the overall process. And, fabrication of the caissons and the plinth is itself expensive, typically requiring a mold that is dedicated for each unit during a curing cycle. Further, each caisson must be set into the earth, requiring earth to be removed in a much larger volumetric area that is otherwise normally removed for just the coffin itself. Thus, the materials can be costly, and it can be costly to fabricate, transport, and install such a device to the site.
In addition, such devices and other known devices are nevertheless still prone to motion if not set deep enough into the earth. As known in the art, surface motion can occur to materials that are set above a freeze line in latitudes where freeze/thaw or dry/wet cycles typically occur. If in an extreme latitude, permafrost may exist below a line in which annual freeze/thaw does not occur. Thus, in either case and as known in the art, if structures are not placed deep below the line of annual freeze/thaw cycles, motion can occur over time due to the regular expansion and contraction that results from freezing and thawing.
Thus, there is a need for an improved headstone support system to minimize headstone displacement while reducing cost to build and install a headstone.